


Careful, He Bites

by Nigaki



Series: Wild and Soft [4]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Alpha Arthur Morgan, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Blood and Violence, Established Relationship, John being an angry racoon, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of Underage, No Beta, Non-Graphic Smut, Non-Sexual Submission, Omega John Marston, Period-Typical Sexism, Pre-Canon, but only for showing, only brief - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nigaki/pseuds/Nigaki
Summary: John is away on a mission when his heat starts. Thankfully only one town stands between him and the camp where his mate is waiting. Should be easy to pass through, right?
Relationships: John Marston/Arthur Morgan
Series: Wild and Soft [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1687138
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	Careful, He Bites

He should’ve listened to others. Everyone, especially Arthur, was telling him he won’t be able to come back in time. That even if he would ride day and night, he would be late.

“I’ll be on time,” he assured his mate when he was packing. “It’s not that far.”

It was farther away than he expected. He didn’t make it. Maybe he would’ve if it didn’t start raining up in the mountains. River swelled, it destroyed the bridge and John had to look for another road which took him half of the other day. If it wasn’t for this, he would’ve been in the camp a long time ago or just entering it. Instead he just arrived in the morning in the town that was on the way to camp. He was tired, angry and he reeked of heat for a whole mile.

People stared at him when he was passing them. Omegas were wrinkling their noses while alphas were practically eating him with their eyes and throwing compliments left and rights, or something that was supposed to sound like compliments but coming from local drunks it sounded more like insults. And then there were also disgusting propositions and comments.

Nobody got too close to him. Thankfully, because John couldn’t promise he wouldn’t hurt someone. He would tell Old Boy to kick anyone who would be brave enough to approach him. It never happened before but he was sure he would hate for a stranger alpha to touch him when he was in heat.

John didn’t look much different than normal, he was just sweating more, it was the smell that was giving him away, and, to be honest, he didn’t know why people even payed attention to him. Did omegas in this town never worked during heats? It wasn’t unusual, only omegas from rich families locked themselves for the heat, apparently it was inappropriate to be in front of others in that state, but people in here were just common folks, why they looked at him like they never saw omega in heat before?

He wasn’t feeling unsafe because of it, but he felt kind of naked being stared at like that, like he was a freak while he was just going through something that every omega has to experience for most of their life. 

John growled, angry that he had to go through this because he was too proud to admit he won’t make it on time. He wanted to punch himself in his stupid face. As if uncomfortable feeling caused by heat wasn’t enough, he had to endure all those looks from people who couldn’t just mind their own business.

If he hear one more time about how he had a nice scent, he was ready to shoot everyone in this town.

The heat barely even started and he already had enough. It was a while since he didn’t have Arthur to help him. His second heat after they become mates five years ago was the first and the last one when Arthur didn’t help him since the start of it. Until today.

With each passing minute it was getting too hot for him. The fact it was just a hot day in in the first place didn’t help either. He would’ve been sweating without heat but with it, it was even worse. He was surprised anyone was even smelling the heat on him instead of sweat.

He couldn’t stand it any longer. His waterskin was empty for a while now, he gulped it all down when the first signs of heat appeared when he was packing his bedroll at the break of dawn. He needed to drink again, cool down his body, otherwise he would die on his way to camp.

He stopped his horse in front of the saloon, almost jumping into a drinker. Old Boy was as thirsty as him and he immediately started drinking but after a few seconds he lifted his head scared when John put his hands into water, scooped it in them and poured over his head.

He sighed when the cold water went down his neck and back, cooling down the warm skin he actually wanted to rip off his own body. It felt like another set of clothes and he was burning inside of them.

“Sorry, mister,” he said to Old Boy who neighed nervously. “Water’s all yours.”

Gelding watched him for a moment longer before he returned to drinking while John entered the saloon. All eyes turned towards him. Not bothered by the attention he went to the bar where a surprised barkeeper stared at him as if he was just seeing the omega in heat for the first time. Maybe he was.

“Give me some water,” John rasped and put a quarter on the bar.

Barkeeper sniffed the air not so subtlety before he turned around, but not without looking back. John looked him straight into eyes and growled, telling him to hurry up. 

He could feel people’s gaze on himself. Everyone stopped talking or eating, they’re focused entirely on him, not sure how to react to omega in heat in the middle of the saloon. John hoped they wouldn’t figure it out until he could leave. That would spare him a lot of nerves and trouble.

To discourage potential admirers, John put his bandana lower and uncovered the Arthur’s mating bite. It didn’t help, he could still feel alphas watching him like a piece of meat. 

Where the hell was his water? How long does it take to fill one glass? He growled again at the barkeeper who was paying more attention to looking at him that to his job. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” John heard right by his ear. Snarling, he moved away from a stranger alpha who leaned against the bar near him. If he hadn’t moved, they would’ve been touching right now. That’s what he wanted to avoid. He should’ve drank with Old Boy and leave the town right away. Now he had to explain to some stubborn alpha to try his luck elsewhere. “You looking for some company?”

“Leave me alone,” he grumbled, trying not to breathe too deep and not feel the lust coming from the man.

“Don’t be like that.” John shivered with disgust hearing the seducing tone. “I bet you’re suffering a lot with this heat. Let me help you.”

The man reached his hand towards John. He gave the alpha a chance to back off, he growled as a warning but the man’s hand landed on his arm anyway. Without hesitation, John grabbed the bottle standing on the bar, placed there by the alpha himself, and with a quick turn hit him with it on the side of the head.

The glass shattered, smell of blood mixed in the air with the scent of beer. Before the man could run away, John grasped his hair and banged his face into a bar for a good measure, leaving a big smear of blood from a broken nose on it.

Alpha screamed in pain and collapsed to the floor when John let go of him with disgust on his face.

“I’m not in the mood for your courting,” he told the man before turning to other patrons who stared at him in shock. “Anyone else?” He spread his arms as an invitation but no one came. Good. “Will I get this water or not?” he asked with irritation. Barkeeper was clearly angry about this little fight. Well, if he would only complete order faster, nothing would’ve happened. 

The glass of water was finally put in front of John. He took it quickly and started drinking.

“No one held you on a short leash recently, hasn’t they?,” the barkeeper commented. “I should throw you out for what you did.”

“Then do it,” John encouraged him but the alpha didn’t react. He didn’t want to end like the man on the floor who was slowly crawling towards the exit.

John emptied the glass in few second and asked for another. Barkeeper brought it to him without a word.

“You did the right thing,” someone said. With a corner of his eye, John looked at another alpha that replaced the previous one.

The first one was at least Dutch’s age, but not as elegant. This one was younger, probably twenty one like John or at least he seemed like that with the way he moved and acted. He reminded John of Arthur when he first met him. Young, confident and a little arrogant, without humility that Arthur gained with age. And without manners that Arthur possessed even at the young and foolish age. Even then he never looked at John like at some strange creature seen for the first time in the circus.

That’s how he was feeling with this new alpha who probably was used to quiet and submissive omegas of both sexes.

“Clearly an omega like you need a strong alpha,” the man, boy, spoke again.

“You’re right” John agreed and took a big gulp of his water. He was feeling so hot! “So what are you still doing here?”

He could kill this alpha with one hand bound behind his back but the boy apparently was convinced it was just teasing because he laughed and looked at John like at a silly child.

“Come on.” Why alphas never understood when they weren’t welcome? Arthur was always leaving John alone whenever he wished solitude. Why Arthur had to be so perfect? Because of him every meeting with other alphas reminded John how obtrusive they can get. And how lucky he was mating with an alpha that was one in a million. “Why would you come to saloon while in heat if not looking for an alpha?”

“To drink?” John answered and showed the glass. “Back off.”

“Don’t be shy” the men persisted. “I know a nice spot in the hay in the nearby barn.”

Another alpha who thought he could just touch him. This time John didn’t have anything to hit the alpha with, except his water, so when the boy done all but brushed his fingers against omega’s arm, John caught his wrist and spun the alpha around before pouncing at him with a snarl. They both fell to the floor and John clasped his teeth around the alpha’s throat the second he got a chance, feeling the blood pulsing in the vein under his tongue. 

“Okay, you won, get off!” the boy screamed immediately while tossing under the more massive body of John who growled ferociously, wanting to scare the alpha for life. He bit harder, drawing blood and almost crushing the boy’s Adam’s apple and cutting the airway. If he wanted, he could rip the throat of this fool. But John didn’t want trouble and he wasn’t a mindless killer, so he let the boy go with a warning and his throat still intact.

Alpha run out of the saloon almost tripping over his own leg.

John was growling after him for a few more seconds before he turned towards the bar and grabbed his water again. He rinsed his bloody teeth with it and spat everything into a spittoon. 

“Another one,” he ordered from the barkeeper, placing the glass back on the bar.

Nobody paid attention to him from now on and he could finish his water in peace. It didn’t help at all, he was still feeling warm, uncomfortable and his pants between thighs were wet from slick. The only upside was lack of admirers. 

When somebody entered the saloon, John didn’t even turn around to look but not a long after he felt someone’s presence behind him. If it was another alpha wanting to ‘help’ him, this time he was going to tore out their throat. He didn’t care he was going to mess up everything the gang was working for the last week, he really wasn’t in the mood to deal with persisting alphas.

“What happened here?” the voice behind him asked.

John looked back and his eyes fell on a gold star pinned to the vest of an alpha standing right behind. He should’ve expected someone calling the sheriff, people who got their ass handed to them always run to the sheriff.

“I finish my water and I’m out of your town, sheriff, don’t worry.”

“You attacked two alphas and I’m supposed to just let you go?”

“They was bothering me,” John justified his actions. He warned both alphas, they should’ve left him alone but they decided to treat his growl like a playful teasing.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have come here while in heat,” the sheriff suggested. “What else were you expecting?”

“So it’s my fault?” John turned angry to the man. He was minding his own business, he just wanted to drink. Was he supposed to politely decline every alpha to not hurt their feeling or just gently slap them while they were trying to touch him without his consent, and they would’ve surely done more if he didn’t stop them?

Sheriff didn’t answer, he was just watching him. John turned back to the bar but before he could pick up his glass of water and finish it, he was caught by the wrist and before he knew it, his hand was bended behind his back.

“Hey!”

“Let’s go,” the sheriff commended him.

If it was only another annoying alpha, he would’ve already done something to free himself but he didn’t want to risk attacking sheriff. Sometimes it was better to surrender than fight with them.

“You’ll have peace you wanted so much in the cell.”

The cell? He thought he was only being thrown out of the saloon.

“You can’t arrest me!” John yelled while behind dragged outside the building. The scent of the heat was already drawing attention to him and now this. “I didn’t do anything!”

If Arthur had beaten those two alpha to protect his mate instead of John doing the job himself, nobody would even care. 

“Assaulting alphas is nothing to you?”

Sheriff was leading him trough town where among the crowd John noticed the alpha whose nose he broke. It must’ve been him who informed the law. The boy couldn’t have done that, young alphas are too prideful to hide behind others when omegas show them their place.

With blood still coming from his broken nose, the alpha smirked at John who growled loudly in return. If only sheriff wasn’t there... 

“They deserved it.”

“And you deserve some disciplinary beating to stop your hysteria.” John was pushed through the open door inside the sheriff’s office. “You’re mated, where is your alpha?”

“Not here,” he whined pathetically, letting his longing take over for a moment.

“You lack some good old discipline, sweetheart.” Holding John’s wrists with one hand, sheriff grabbed the keys to the cell with the other and started opening it. “Your alpha should teach you a lesson.”

“Don’t call me ‘sweetheart’,” John warned the man. Only Arthur could call him that. 

John allowed the sheriff to take his gun belt without fuss.

“Sure, sweetheart.” Typical. “In you go.”

Just like to the office, he was pushed into the cell, and sheriff closed the door after him.

“You gonna leave me here for the whole heat?” John grasped the bars and pulled. He expected nothing and he still was disappointed when they didn’t budge.

“You brought this on yourself.” Sheriff hanged the keys far away from John’s reach and sat behind the desk, his left side turned towards cell so he could still have an eye on the omega.

“At least give me some water.” He was thirsty again.

“You’ll get one,” the alpha promised him, making himself comfortable on a chair. “And if the heat start getting too strong to handle, don’t let my presence stop you from taking care of it. I promise I won’t look.”

“No thank you.”

The sheriff would watch, he was sure of it. And even if he wouldn’t, John still wasn’t going to finger himself while the man was in the room.

“Your lose.”

Sheriff went back to doing what he was doing until he was interrupted and John was left alone, without water, without alpha and very horny. Heats aren’t that terrible, omegas can work during it just fine, whatever you have a mate or not. But when you have one the body just knows. It knows and it prepares more than without a mate to make itself more desirable for the alpha. There is more slick, the scent is stronger and the empty feeling is making it hard to concentrate on anything else but to mate. John was so used to spending his heat getting fucked by Arthur or just having him near he already forgot how annoying heat could really be.

Frustrated, John growled and sat down on the bunk. He couldn’t decide whatever to lay down with his back to the sheriff and not know what he’s up to, or front to him and see his stupid grin.

He laid down on his back, feeling his pants sticking to his wet tights. He didn’t even bring anything with himself that would soak the slick until he could get back to camp, only to leave again but this time with Arthur to take care of the heat together. He should’ve waited with that job.

He suffered not only because of the hot feeling but also because of the emptiness. He needed something in him, preferably Arthur but now even his own finger would do. He would finger himself if he could, that’s how he was dealing with heats before he mated and was too scared to go to stranger alphas. Sometimes he was still doing that outside of heat, during fertility periods or when he was just feeling horny and Arthur was away. Even during heats it wasn’t uncommon because Arthur liked to watch sometimes and John liked being watched by him.

But the current audience wasn’t his mate but an alpha that would watch and probably do even more.

John was already at this sonofabitch mercy, he didn’t want to encourage him to do anything when the alpha was leaving him alone so far. If sheriff would try to take the opportunity of having an omega in heat locked in his cell, John would kill him the moment he would step inside.

The heat was getting worse with every minute. Desperate, John turned to his side, back towards the sheriff, and slipped his hand between his tights to bring at least some relief to his burning body. He had to bit his lower lip when he touched himself, even through pants he was feeling how hot he was there, how he was pulsing with desire.

Arthur, he needed Arthur.

He laid like that God knows how long, he wasn’t even doing anything, he was just holding his hand between his legs to fool his own body. It wasn’t what he needed but it was helping a little. John ignored the glass of water that sheriff gave him and kept resting, waiting for the end that was still many hours away, heats without a mate usually lasted half a day. He had never thought that after mating he would have to spend one completely alone.

It was looking like a beginning of a very long day.

John tried to sleep but wasn’t able to, no matter how much he tried to relax. He didn’t know if the heat was to blame, the scribbling sound of sheriff’s dip pen or horses and wagons outside, but John was still very much awake. He never had a problem with sleeping during heat when Arthur was with him.

“How can I help you, sir?” sheriff asked out of nowhere. John didn’t even hear the door opening, and he didn’t check who came inside, instead with his eyes still closed he continued his struggle to fall asleep to make the heat easier. His plans changed when he was hit with a familiar scent that caused more slick to slip from him.

John turned quickly and saw his alpha standing in the doorstep. Before he could stop himself omega whined and with a two steps got to the bars, clutching to them desperately and looking at Arthur impenitently.

“I thought I will find you here,” his mate told him, looking back at him. John moaned hearing his gravelly voice. The moan was louder then he intended because even sheriff heard it with no problem and looked at him surprised.

“Arthur.”

The sheriff got up and walked around his desk.

“Is he your omega?” the man asked while he and Arthur shook hand.

“Yup,” Arthur confirmed, his eyes were pointed this whole time. Alpha looked angry, John had no idea if it was a game or if Arthur was angry at his omega for not getting back home before the heat. “And he just got into a lot of trouble. What did he do?”

“He attacked two alphas,” sheriff answered and stood beside Arthur. Together they watched very inpatient John still locked in his cell. Now that his alpha was close, John’s heat became even stronger than it was before, his body reacting to the presence of the mate. “For no reason.”

John growled at the sheriff. He had many reason to attack those two bastards from the saloon.

“Quit it,” Arthur growled back. John stopped obediently and bowed his head, leaning it against the bars. “Don’t you have enough trouble?”

“He was a good boy here,” sheriff pointed out and reached for the keys. “I know it’s not my business, but he looks like he could use a firm hand.”

John swallowed another growl to not undermine Arthur’s authority and embarrass him when alpha was trying to get him out right now. If sheriff see this, he could change his mind.

“Don’t worry, he’ll learn to behave,” Arthur assured, patiently waiting for the sheriff to open the cell. “Right, sweetheart?”

Finally a ‘sweetheart’ that didn’t cause John’s gut to twist in disgust. 

Sheriff opened the cell and John walked out, joining Arthur right away like a good, submissive omega.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered so only Arthur could hear. His apology was genuine, John was sorry for not listening to Arthur and going out on a job when heat was just around the corner. His mate hummed and put his hand on John’s neck, squeezing gently. “I’m sorry.” 

The second ‘I’m sorry’ was said louder, and it was just for show. Arthur’s grip on his neck tightened, alpha was showing his superior position in front of the sheriff who handed him John’s gun belt. He didn’t even return it to the rightful owner, like it wasn’t even his.

“You’ll be sorry,” Arthur promised John who couldn’t stop himself and whimpered when his mate’s words caused his desire to grow. “I’ll teach you not to run away and growl. When I’m done with you, you’ll beg for forgiveness.”

Oh, he was going to beg but sheriff didn’t need to know it was going to be for completely different reason.

“Well, good luck to you, sir with your omega, and have a good day.” Sheriff didn’t even address John when he said that before returning behind his desk.

“Thank you.” Still holding John by the neck, Arthur nudged him towards the door. “Let’s go.”

The moment they left some distance between them and sheriff’s office, Arthur let go of John and let him stand straight.

“Thanks.” John took his gun from Arthur and put the belt around his hips. “I thought he’s going to hold me there all day.”

“He probably wanted to,” Arthur noted watching John carefully and scenting him. “I told you you won’t make it.”

“I know,” John admitted ashamed. “Are you mad?”

“Not really.” Arthur sighed. “It was just unnecessary of you to deal with the beginning of the heat alone and I didn’t even know where was you. You could’ve been almost finished by now if you stayed in the camp.”

“I’m fine.” Heat wasn’t the end of the world after all, it didn’t even hurt, at least him but he was still gratefully for his mate’s concern. “How did you know where to find me then?”

“I was heading to the saloon when on my way there I noticed a fella with a broken nose and glass in his head, complaining about today’s omega being wild and how the worlds is going into wrong direction,” Arthur explained amused. “I decided to check sheriff’s office instead.”

John grinned.

“I also almost tore the throat of the other alpha,” he added proudly.

“Good,” Arthur purred with approval. “Where is your horse?”

“Still in front of the saloon.” John looked at Boadicea tied to a post in front of the sheriff’s office.

“Go for him and let’s leave,” Arthur decided. Before John could walk away, alpha hooked his finger under John’s belt and dragged him close, very close, their chest touching kind of close. “Just hurry. Your scent is driving me crazy, more than usual.”

“You think yours don’t do the same to me?” John briefly kissed his mate’s lips before going to retrieve Old Boy.

They didn’t return to camp, they went straight to a place where no one would disturb them. Arthur had chosen it when John was still making errands for Dutch. They stopped at the riverbank to have somewhere to clean up after they’re done. That was the plan but Arthur decided it’s too hot even for him to take care of the heat, and for John it would be even worse, so instead of setting up a tent like always and hiding inside, they walked into the river.

John wasn’t feeling comfortable despite water only reaching his hips. Thankfully Arthur helped him forget where they were and John finally stopped feeling so warm, the empty feeling was filled and scent of an alpha drowsed him completely to the point where he wasn’t thinking clearly until the heat ended, which took surprisingly more hours than it should. Probably because Arthur wasn’t with him from the start of it and John’s body wasn’t used to it. Or the heat was just making up for first few lost hours. 

They didn’t complain because of the longer heat, they spend over ten nice hours together. By the end of it, John was a little scratched from a boulder he was bending over when Arthur was taking him from behind, and from the sand on which omega was laying one, happily spreading his legs for his alpha. The shirt they had put under him didn’t stop him from being hurt but John reciprocated when he left deep gashes on his mate’s back during the second knotting.

The pair returned to camp in good moods, John didn’t even remember what happened in town anymore, and even teasing from other gang members weren’t enough to ruin his evening. With a content smile, he reported to Dutch and then joined the others around the campfire to drink. Before he got a beer, Arthur brought him herbal brew he just made to prevent the pregnancy. 

John thanked him and drowned the whole thing in one go so he could drink something with better taste. Necessity first, pleasure later. They didn’t want John to end up with child after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Oh no, I hope John doesn't end pregnant anyway and nine months later won't give birth to a healthy boy he and Arthur will call Jack. I mean, what are the chances?
> 
> I never really liked how in fics heat turns people into mindless creatures that can't control each other around omega. Can't build a civilization when half of your population can't work regularly and the other half thinks about screwing the other one all day. But hey, you do you, no shaming. So basically heats are just periods but instead of blood coming out of you and signalizing you didn’t get pregnant when you had a chance, you just feel horny and your body is telling you it wants the baby now! Still sucks tho. And can be painfull for some.


End file.
